Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Font
Killeshin, County Laois, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Killeshin
- County
- Laois
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 52.84741, -7.00157
- SMR number
- LA032-020005-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Located immediately W of Killeshin church (LA032-020002-) close to NW angle of church. A circular, granite font (diam. c. 0.8m) with cone shaped basin and aperture in the centre with a small hole on the rim of the font which may have been related to a cover. A narrow incised line visible halfway down runs around the outside of the font (Crawford and Leask 1925, 83-94; O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 257-64). According to Fitzgerald (1910, 199) 'formerly a bulb-shaped granite font lay sunk in the ground on the north-east side of the church (LA032-020002-) ruins; it is now placed at the western wall of the church. The interior of the bowl is cone-shaped, and of such rude workmanship that it strikes one it was intended to hold a metal vessel or was lined with lead. The aperture is in the centre; on the rim is a circular hole, and beside it a small socket 4½ inches [0.11m] long, which both probably had some connexion with the fittings of a lid or cover'.
The font was described in 1925 as measuring '29 inches (0.73m) in diameter and 22 inches (0.55m) in height. It is undecorated except that the exterior is divided into three broad swelling bands, the funnel-shaped basin is unusual, its breadth and depth are alike 16 inches (0.4m). The base is hollowed and connected with the basin by a narrow aperture; a small socket, 1 inch (0.02m) in diameter and 2 inches (0.04m) deep, in the upper surface of the rim, probably held the hinge of a lid' (Crawford and Leask 1925, 94).
LA032-020005-_05.jpg attached drawing of section of font at Killeshin taken from Crawford and Leask 1925, 93.
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Updated by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 26 March 2015
References
Crawford, H.S. and Leask, H.G. 1925 Killeshin church and its Romanesque ornament. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 55, 83-94.
O'Hanlon, Rev. J. and O'Leary, Rev. E. 1907 (Reprint 1981) History of the Queen's county, vol. 1. Kilkenny. Roberts Books Ltd.
Fitzgerald, Lord W. 1910 The Killeshin Church ruins, Queen's County. Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society 6, 185-205.
Nearby in the register
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Graveslabunder 1 mi
- Round towerunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.